Ovarian cancer survival may depend on social factors

A recent study may have illuminated factors contributing to racial disparities in ovarian cancer.

In the retrospective, observational cohort study, published in JAMA Network Open, investigators assessed the relationship between residential context and survival rates among more than 2,500 adult Black and white patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. They used the 2020 Social Vulnerability Index to analyze census tract-level data and determine residential context.

Compared with white patients, Black patients had a greater likelihood of having more advanced cancer at diagnosis and a lower likelihood of having high-grade serous cancer. The investigators found that the overall survival rate was poorer among Black patients compared with white patients as well as among those who resided in areas with higher social vulnerability. The correlation was stronger among Black patients, potentially representing the role residential context may play in the racial disparities currently observed in ovarian cancer outcomes. Further, Black patients from both low and high social vulnerability areas had poorer mortality rates compared with white patients.

Despite the potential association, further studies are needed to better understand the effects of external factors on ovarian cancer outcomes and identify strategies to improve outcomes among Black patients.

Read more: JAMA Network Open

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